a few pictures, May 25 2009

Last night Bud slowly became sick. He stayed in bed most of the morning. He is now feeling better but not fully. He took a malaria test this morning and it was negative. So that makes around 6 of us around here that have been somewhat sick or really sick this weekend. Here's what I think it could be. So today I did my grocery shopping for the week. I did my rounds: Transmatt Supermarket for eggs, basic stuff (i.e. flour, sugar, olive oil, etc), non-fat vanilla yogurt, bananas, and such. Soy shop for tuna on sale, green onions, and butter. Khetia's supermarket for cheese, vegetables, fruit, beans, diapers, wipes, wheat flakes, peanut butter, bread. Meat lady: chicken and fish. (ok, i didn't list everything and I'm probably being a bit more detailed than you ever care to know but getting the point across that you go certain places for one thing and other places for the other... and then the next month it will probably all change up) So we were sitting at the meat lady's house, her name is Filo.(sp?) Filo has a meat business where she sells in a room connected to the back of her house. We sat and talked to her a bit. We explained how we've been sick and had bought meat from a butcher in town that most people buy from if they don't buy from Filo. It's quite possible that she was trying to get business by telling us this story but regardless, I listened darn well and wont ever buy ground beef anywhere in Kenya from a butcher... EVER... only from the supermarket or Filo. Period. I've heard several times that you never know what part of the cow they're grinding up and have heard that in certain restaurants sometimes they might be giving you beef from a cow that died. Ok, gross. But then we heard the story today that this certain butchery often buys cows that are sick. They get around a $60 discount on sick cows and the farmer selling gets rid of his sick cow quick, still making money. So everyone wins right? WRONG! The people buying have no clue and don't think to make sure the burgers are black and burnt all the way through, they end up not cooking them well and well... that makes for some sick people. That's my story, I almost gave up on meat all around but I will buy from Filo and my husband is happy. Bleh!

Lucy is doing better today. Her lip isn't as swollen. She is quite adorable. I painted her nails bright pink today! I'll have to put some pictures of her stylin them, lookin all miss prissy. We have the biggest fight with her to take her medicine though. She is on SO much medication! Septrin for HIV, multi vitamin, pain killer every now and then, anti biotic for her lip, and tablets that dissolve in water for TB. The TB medicine is the most difficult because she has to drink it. She'll get half way through and turn stubborn on us. She seems to be doing well though. We have all sorts of good nutrition throughout the day being put into her. She'll be walkin in no time, I'm confident of that.

I'll stop typing and give some pictures updates. Some are from a few weeks ago but I just got them from Nickole's camera. I love having new people around, they always take good pictures that I wouldn't think to share with people back home!

Eric holding Lucy... the car was not moving, just waiting on something, or someone

The bus we take to Nairobi, not so bad

Westgate Mall in Nairobi, the newest mall. Nickole got in trouble after she took this but she didn't have to delete it

A glimpse of Java house! We just don't go to Nairobi without eating here at least once.

It's civilized

This is really random but here are pictures of the gym we go to for fitness, aerobics

The room we work out in

A view from the window of part of Kitale town. That big yellow building is Khetia's Supermarket

Weight room

Hollie, me, Philis (our instructor) and Nickole


A sweet picture of Bud cuddling Lucy during worship Friday night, such a good daddy

Still busy getting house two ready. It's almost finished! It looks fantastic. Oh, sweet quick story. Last week we were out at the property and I noticed the pretty little flowers. The kids picked them for Hollie and I. (i think I previously put a picture) Today we went out to the property and the kids asked if I had been sick and if I was feeling better. I said yes and they all asked if I'd go with them down to the gardens so they could pick me more wild flowers. I was so tired but how could I say no?! They are such sweet kids. Their first reaction to finding out Bud was sick is to ask if they could pray for him. So we prayed over him. Sweet children.